


it's elementary, my dear

by 221bdisneystreet



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Violence, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Character Death, Past Character Death, Rivals to Lovers, Royalty, Slow Burn, Steampunk AU, altea is a miniature civilization within the real world, blue is a large bloodhound in this au, broganes, characters and tags will be added as i go, death mentions, great mouse detective au, if you know this movie then HUGE kudos to you tbh, klance, kova is part cyborg, there won't be anything super graphic though, think like the borrowers/secret world of arrietty, victorian au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-18
Updated: 2018-08-18
Packaged: 2019-06-29 00:51:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15718542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/221bdisneystreet/pseuds/221bdisneystreet
Summary: On the eve of the coronation of the soon-to-be Prince Regent of Altea, in the dark and foggy streets on a rainy December night, two genius detectives receive two rather strange cases from two peculiar clients.The first client is Keith Kogane, the Crown Prince and heir to the throne. His case concerns his abducted older brother King Takashi Shirogane.The second client is Katie Holt, a rising prodigy and intuitive inventor who goes under the alias ‘Pidge Gunderson.’ Her case concerns her kidnapped father Professor Sam Holt and brother Matt Holt.The detectives deduce that only the most feared and wicked criminal mastermind in all of Altea could be responsible for these crimes. With the help of a genius mechanical engineer, an eccentric police inspector, and a lovable dog with a blue collar, they must race against time to uncover the perpetrator’s motives and thwart his evil plans.The pieces fall into place.The kingdom is in danger.The clock is ticking.And the game is afoot.





	it's elementary, my dear

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, shoutout to anyone who knows or has seen the movie this au is based on cuz it's a very underrated disney movie imo.
> 
> Secondly, I'm SO excited to finally start posting this fic! This movie is super dear to my heart, so I had a lot of fun pouring out so much creativity into outlining and writing this story. 
> 
> Warnings that for this prologue, there's mentions of blood and past character deaths, but other than that there's nothing major. I will post any necessary warnings in the tags and in the beginning notes of each new chapter as I go.
> 
> I want to give a HUGE shoutout to Brigid (@angstinspace), Noelle (@GenericHero), and Moira (@bleulily) for beta-ing this fic! I honestly couldn't have gotten this far without your help and support!! ily all <3

_December 6, 1897 9:29 PM_

 

Night poured in through the small glass windows of the palace, drenching the hallway in deep blue twilight and streaking the walls with luminous moonlight. As Keith walked quietly through the hall, he could hear light footsteps and garbled voices echoing from the ceiling. In his passing thoughts, he had to wonder what the humans living in the palace above his own were conversing about this time. Most likely some tedious political chatter. From outside, the slow, hefty clapping of horse hooves in the courtyard signaled the arrival of a carriage. Visitors for the humans, it seemed.

Soon, Keith approached the double doors adorned with detailed brass-colored trimmings at the end of the corridor. He knocked gently on the door before carefully turning the knob, and the door let out a brief, soft creaking noise. Keith poked his head into the bedroom. At the far end of the room by the window, Shiro sat in his chair reading a book, but he looked up at the sound of Keith’s entrance.

“Keith, you’re still awake?” Shiro closed his book and set it down on the table next to him. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready to sleep by now?”

“Come on, Shiro. I’m not a child,” Keith said, rolling his eyes as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

“I know, I know.” Shiro chuckled, gesturing to the empty chair across from him. “It’s just that tomorrow’s the big day after all, and we need to start finalizing the preparations early in the morning. So you’ll need plenty of rest beforehand.”

Keith sucked in a sharp, quick breath as he approached Shiro.

_The big day tomorrow._

“Yes…” Keith nodded, a hint of hesitation in his voice. “The coronation.”

Tomorrow evening was going to be a momentous one, not only for the royal family but for the entire kingdom. On that night, Keith would be officially crowned as the Prince Regent of Altea and rule alongside Shiro until the time came for him to succeed his older brother as the new king.

Having the Crown Prince act as a legitimate co-ruler would certainly be a historic political moment for the kingdom. Never before in Altea’s centuries-long existence as a monarchy had there been a dual leadership in the royal family. Shiro believed that having Keith take up a leadership-type mantle at a relatively young age and learn all the royal duties firsthand would better prepare him for when he eventually inherited the throne.

“It’s all happening so fast.” Shiro gazed out of the window, a wistful smile on his face. “Seems like just yesterday when you were still a child...you used to march down the halls with your blanket tied around your neck as a cape and call yourself the king. And you’d steal Mama’s crown off the pedestal and wear it, but it was so big on you that it practically covered half of your face.” Shiro laughed as he reminisced. He stole a quick glance at his mechanical right arm, his fingers twitching slightly. “You were so excitable back then…”

Keith sat down. “Ha, yeah. Good times, I guess…” He stared down at his fingers and fidgeted anxiously.

Unlike Shiro, Keith wasn’t too certain he was fit to already take on the role of a ruler. Ever since the announcement of his coronation became public throughout the kingdom, he had grown too frightened to entertain the prospect of stepping up as a leader. Back in his childhood, becoming a ruler had been a thrilling fantasy, an exciting dream come true. But now, in his adulthood, that dream was nothing more than a dreaded thought. A shadow that used to lurk in the back of his mind but was now manifesting itself into a very real fear.

Shiro, ever so perceptive, seemed to sense his younger brother’s self-doubt immediately.

“Keith…” he said, his voice tender with concern. Keith looked up to see Shiro watching him intently. “I know you’re worried about tomorrow.”

Shiro leaned forward, resting his arms on his thighs and locking his hands together. “I know it’s rather scary, but I think it’s for the best. You can become more experienced in all of the royal duties, so that when the time comes, you’ll be ready to inherit the throne.”

Keith redirected his gaze back down to his lap and bit his lip as he put together his words. “I just don’t feel like I can handle being a ruler yet.”

He clenched his fists.

“I’m...I’m not like you, Shiro. You’re a born leader. You’re calm and confident and self-assured. You’re inspirational, and you know how to support everyone around you. You’re articulate and wise and decisive. You work well with the other advisors, and you know how to talk your way through any situation. You always know what’s best for the kingdom. I’m _none_ of those things, Shiro. And you’re–– you’re the perfect ruler, you weren’t scared to become king. But I’m nowhere near as competent, and here I am being a coward and––”

Keith’s rambling was cut short by a firm pressure on his right shoulder. He looked up and noticed that Shiro had reached over and placed his hand there, the metal of his palm cool to the touch.

“Keith, it’s okay,” Shiro said quietly. “I understand how you feel. Believe me, I was just as nervous and frightened when my coronation took place.”

Keith stared at his brother, curious yet disbelieving. “Really?”

Shiro nodded, his lips curving up in a sympathetic smile. “I must have been pretty good at concealing my fear during the actual ceremony, but my hands were trembling the first moment I held the scepter. And my heart was beating so fast when I first felt the weight of Mama’s crown on my head, I had to hold my breath through the final speech just to keep calm.” He shook his head, letting out a quick laugh. “I was so scared, already becoming a king so quickly after what happened to our mother. I didn’t think I was ready, didn’t think I could be a wonderful ruler like Mama was. And I didn’t even have a lot of mentoring beforehand to feel prepared.”

Keith remained silent and motionless. Even Takashi Shirogane, the most fearless person Keith had ever known, knew what it was like to be afraid.

“Look, Keith. It’s normal to be scared of an unknown future. No one starts off perfect or ready or certain. That’s why I’m having you be a co-ruler first, so that I can easily teach you what it truly means to be a king. Then you’ll be more prepared when your time as king arrives.”

Shiro squeezed Keith’s shoulder lightly. “You’ll become a great leader in time, and I’ll be by your side until that day comes. I know you can do it.”

Keith blinked before he murmured, “Do you really think so?”

“I know so, little brother,” Shiro answered with a comforting smile. He released his grip on Keith’s shoulder and held out his hand. With a grateful smile, Keith clasped it, and the two of them pulled each other into a warm hug.

Keith clutched onto Shiro and buried his face in his shoulder, sinking deep into his brother’s affectionate warmth. It reminded him of their youth, when they used to play hide and seek in the many rooms of the palace or chase each other through the gardens. When Shiro would playfully tackle Keith from behind and tickle him until he couldn’t hold in his laughter. When their mother would hear them playing together late at night in their bedroom and would initially scold them lightly before she scooped them up in her arms and kissed them and smiled lovingly at them…

Like a single string plucked on a harp, a twinge of melancholy suddenly strummed in Keith’s heart. That invisible chord of sorrow vibrated within his chest, its hum lingering painfully.

“I wish Mama was here,” he whispered. He could feel himself embracing Shiro tighter, almost as if he feared he was going to lose his  only remaining family member if his grip loosened even a little bit. Shiro slowly released his hold and gazed at Keith, a soft mournful look in his eyes.

“I wish she was, too.”

Keith looked down at the floor. “I miss her so much, Shiro.”

He would never forget that tragic day.

It had started off as an ordinary rainy Sunday, five years prior. The queen and Shiro, who was still prince at the time, were only supposed to be gone for the afternoon. The carriage had been in good condition before they departed. But then—

_Her Majesty, Queen Krolia Kogane of Altea, Proclaimed Dead In Horrific Roadside Tragedy_

News had spread like wildfire, leaving the entire kingdom in despair and shock. The police inspectors ruled the event as an accident. According to the driver, a sudden noise appeared to have startled the robotic horses and made them go haywire, and the carriage had veered off the sidewalk. At the crash site, officers discovered that one of the wheels of the coach had unhinged itself and was missing from the wreckage. Further inspection led them to uncover and retrieve it from underground after the rainwater washed it down a nearby sewer opening. Poor maintenance, they concluded. Perhaps an oversight on behalf of the mechanics who had last repaired the vehicle.

There wasn’t any concrete evidence that someone with malicious intent may have been involved, and the numerous witness accounts further debunked that suspicion. They said the queen’s death was instantaneous. She had perished the moment the carriage tipped off the edge and collided onto the pavement. Blunt force trauma to the head.

_Shiro, what happened to you? Where’s Mama?_

When Shiro first broke the news to him, Keith vehemently denied it. In his anguish, he begged to see his mother’s body, to see for himself that she really was dead like everyone had truthfully informed him.

_Let me see her again! Please, I want to see my mother!_

Her body had already been taken to the coroner for an autopsy before burial preparations could commence. Even those of kin to the queen were forbidden from observing her corpse until it was returned to the palace for the funeral.

Five years later and the tears that had streamed down Keith’s face still felt so warm and tangible. He had locked himself in his bedroom that whole day, refusing to leave even when it was time for supper. All he could do was curl up under his blankets and cry himself to sleep, an agonizing sensation writhing in his chest with each tear-clogged hiccup and sniffling gasp he uttered. It was as if the Devil had sadistically twisted his heart around before wrenching it out of him. Keith had never wept this much before in his lifetime.

Shiro was fortunate enough to have survived and avoid getting trampled by the oncoming traffic of the human carriages that roamed the roads. Unfortunately, the accident had cost him something else.

A cool, metallic tingling pulled Keith back to the present. Shiro was patting his shoulder in consolation.

“She would have been so happy for you.”

Despite how warm and comforting Shiro’s tone sounded, Keith still felt cold.

Keith couldn’t forget the palace doors bursting open as the doctors and police inspectors rushed in, carrying Shiro back to his bedroom as hastily yet cautiously as they could. He couldn’t forget the glazed look in Shiro’s eyes as his brother seemed to slip in and out of consciousness, teetering on the brink of death. He couldn’t forget the horrific sight of Shiro’s right arm, mutilated beyond recovery. He couldn’t forget the bleeding, all of that blood…

Panic had instantly riled up the kingdom. They had already lost one member of the royal family, and they couldn’t risk losing another. The doctors insisted that Shiro’s arm had to be amputated and perhaps patched up, if that could even be possible. One surgeon, however, claimed to have had a better solution after the amputation. This one was not just an expert in medicine but also in mechanics, and he was currently finalizing the development of his latest invention: prosthetic limbs.

Many doctors were skeptical of the viability of his project. It had never been tested before. What were the odds that it would be successful? But eventually, they conceded with the surgeon’s suggestion and proceeded with the surgery.

Five years later, and Shiro’s prosthetic was still in relatively good condition. Despite numerous maintenance check-ups, occasional repairs, and months of physical therapy, Shiro was still in great physical health. The psychological trauma took longer to cope with and he still had not fully recovered. After all, a tragedy like that left scars deep in the human heart that could never be completely healed. But thanks to the assistance from local therapists and support from the royal staff, advisors, and especially from Keith, Shiro at least maintained the strength and valor and love to live through each day. For the sake of the kingdom, for the sake of his mother…

And most importantly, for the sake of himself and his younger brother.

Keith sucked in a deep, contemplative breath as he raised his hand to gently clasp onto Shiro’s own. The polished metal felt smooth yet not as cold this time.

The citizens proclaimed Shiro’s survival a miracle or a merciful and compassionate act from God. The doctors affirmed that it all transpired in the name of science. Keith, however, simply believed it was a stroke of good fortune, neither due to divine intervention nor scientific progress. Luck was surely on Shiro’s side that day, but it had neglected their mother and left her to rot in the hands of Death himself. How could Keith thank God or science if either was only able to save one but not both?

Still, Keith was certainly grateful that at least his beloved brother was alive. He wouldn’t know what to do if Shiro hadn’t been found underneath all that rubble, barely breathing, struggling to keep a tenuous grasp onto the shreds of his fading life…

Keith’s grip tightened slightly. “Mama would have been really proud of you too, Shiro…of how far you’ve come…”

Shiro smiled tenderly, thankful for what Keith had said yet solemn over the memories of their deceased mother. He asked quietly, “Why don’t we visit her tomorrow? First thing in the morning before we begin the preparations?”

“That...would be good,” Keith answered, nodding.

The two brothers remained motionless for a fleeting moment, frozen and silent in their stances, until Shiro let out a lighthearted laugh and rubbed Keith’s head, ruffling his short and thick black hair. “Come now, let’s not be so glum and agitated. This is supposed to be a joyous occasion, after all.”

Keith pouted as he patted his hair down, but seeing Shiro in high spirits melted away his frown and turned it into a small smile. Shiro clapped his hands and stood up. “Your entrance is perfectly timed, as a matter of fact. I have a special gift for you.”

He walked over to his nightstand and opened the drawer, and Keith watched him with curiosity. As Shiro fumbled through the contents, he explained, “At first, I was planning on giving this to you right before the ceremony, but since you’re still awake, I may as well not delay it any longer.”

A few seconds passed until Shiro exclaimed with triumph, “Ahh, there we are!” He glanced at Keith and grinned mischievously. “Close your eyes.”

Keith raised his eyebrow. “Why?”

“I want to surprise you, of course. And no peeking!”

After a slight pause, Keith conceded and shut his eyes. Some slight clattering, the drawer closing with a thud, and a series of footsteps later, Shiro said, “Hold out your hands.”

Keith furrowed his brow, but his mouth curved up into a small excited grin as he outstretched his hands. Just then, he could feel something solid, petite, and smooth weighing down on his palms.

“Okay, now you can look.”

Once Keith opened his eyes and finally saw the surprise in his hands, all he could manage was an almost breathless, mesmerized gasp.

Resting neatly in his palms was a metal box of rose red. Embedded deep into the surfaces were ornate ribbon-like patterns, polished to the point where not a single smudge or tiniest speck of dust was visible, that swirled like wisps of golden autumn breezes. On the back of the box was a small wind-up key.

“Shiro, I…” The words that managed to depart from Keith’s lips were strained yet full of fascination.

“Go on, that’s only part of the surprise,” Shiro said, pointing to the wind up key. Keith blinked before his hands reached for it, and he twisted the knob. As he turned the key, a slow creaking noise grated against his ears. After three turns, the lid opened.

The interior of the box was lined with crimson velvet. Underneath the lid on its edge was a porcelain figurine of a wolf mounted on a short rod. With brilliant sunset-colored flames painted on its milk-white exterior, the wolf had its head craned upwards to let out a silent howl at the air. As the figurine rotated on the rod, the box sang a tinkling melody. As the sound of loose musical threads, seamlessly strung together into a long rope of mellifluous harmony, chimed throughout the room, Keith was overcome with a sense of serenity. There was something about this tune that felt oddly soothing, something about those sweet and delicate notes that weaved in and out of his hearing that felt nostalgic to him…

“Is this…?”

Shiro nodded with a soft smile. “I know how much Mother’s lullaby means to you, so I wanted you to always have that piece of her in the palm of your hand.”

At that moment, Keith was at a loss of words. The only words he could conjure up were ones that filled only his mind, ones that sang from his memories in the shape of his mother’s calming voice. Lyrics that sang of a mother’s warm and tender love, like sunlight in the countryside on a summer morning. Of a mother’s desire to cherish and protect her greatest joy, like a lioness defending her cubs from fierce predators. Of a mother’s promise to always keep a watchful eye over her beloved child, like the stars dabbled in the darkness and blinking in the night sky as they look down at the earth below them.

Keith didn’t realize that he was starting to cry, the tears stealthily peeking out of his eyes and beginning to trickle down his cheeks. Hastily, he wiped them away. Before he could try to find his voice again, Shiro interrupted his thoughts.

“Did you not notice the other surprise?”

Keith blinked before he looked into the box again. As the familiar lullaby gradually faded to a halt, he saw something gleaming inside.  

 Nestled in the box was a golden pocket watch with a long, thin chain. Keith picked it up and gazed into his reflection on its glossy, smooth lid. He opened it, revealing the spotless glass clock face. The short hour hand hovered between the nine and ten, and the tall minute hand strayed a fraction away from the seven. Tiny openings had been carved out of the blank pockets of the clock face, exposing the cogs and gears that moved mechanically and in sync with the faint, rhythmic ticking that emanated from the watch. But then something else about the watch caught his eye. Engraved on the underside of the lid was a message.

‘To His Future Majesty and My Beloved Son, My Greatest Treasure and My Eternal Joy, Keith Kogane

From Her Majesty and Your Loving Mother Krolia Kogane’

Keith’s eyes widened and he gazed up at Shiro. “Mother...made this?”

“She had it made shortly after your eighteenth birthday. She wanted to give it to you for when you became king, but I believed that it was more appropriate if you were to have it now rather than wait any longer.” Shiro smiled softly. “She wanted you to keep it as a memento, as a way for you to hold her close to your heart even after she departed from the world.”

Keith slowly shut the lid with a muted click. He set the music box on the table but kept his eyes fixed on the pocket watch a little longer. On his palm, the watch felt lightweight yet heavy, cool but also warm on his skin. Silently, he draped the chain over his head and around his neck. The watch dangled and swung gently, brushing against his chest like a feather.

“You look so much like her,” Shiro said with a wistful laugh, rubbing his eyes.

Without any hesitation, Keith threw his arms around Shiro’s neck. Even though he was smiling, he couldn’t hold back his tears any longer and willingly let them spill out.

“Thank you, Shiro...I love you.”

Shiro wrapped his arms around Keith. “I love you, too.”

In that moment, the fear and the longing that stormed in Keith’s heart was lifted. And in his brother’s embrace, he felt warm, safe, _happy_.

Just then, a frantic pounding tugged them both out of their short-lived bliss. Keith’s attention turned to the door, which flung open immediately. A guard stood at the entrance, leaning against the door and breathing heavily.

“Your Majesty, we have intruders!”

The panic that had momentarily disappeared returned full force, stronger than before. Keith’s chest tightened as if a serpent was quickly coiling around his heart, threatening to squeeze the life out of it. Shiro stood up instantly.

“Who are they?” Despite the urgency of the situation, Shiro’s voice remained steady.

“No one knows of their identities or how they were able to breach the palace, but they’re easily overpowering us. We’re no match for them,” the guard explained anxiously. Keith could hear distant shouting from downstairs.

“Your Highness, you and the Prince must escape quickly!”

Worriedly, Keith glanced at Shiro, whose expression was calm and firm. Not a shred of fear flickered in his eyes or was scribbled in his features.

“But––”

Before Shiro could deliver a retort, the guard hastily interrupted, “There is no time! You must go! Now!”

He dashed back into the hallway without another word, slamming the door closed. Keith stood up abruptly and opened his mouth to speak, but––

“Keith.” Shiro turned to him and placed both hands on his shoulders, staring at him with a stern face. “You need to hide and leave the palace _now_.”

“What? But what about you?”

Shiro pursed his lips and hesitated for a brief second.

“I have to stand with my men and protect the ones I love...especially you.”

Keith’s eyes widened, his heart on the verge of bursting. “Shiro, no! You can’t stay behind!”

“It’s my duty both as king and as your family, Keith. I need to keep you safe.” Shiro’s grip on Keith’s shoulders tightened. “I _want_ to keep you safe.”

“I won’t let you go out there alone!” Keith exclaimed, wrestling himself out of Shiro’s grasp. “If you’re going to fight, then so will I.”

“No! The kingdom can’t risk losing you, especially at a time like this. These intruders are most likely after you, so it’s imperative that you stay hidden.”

“But––”

Loud smashing of furniture and bloodcurdling yells, punctuated by the slicing of flesh, echoed from the hall. Shiro grabbed Keith’s hand and tugged him towards the bookcase. On the middle shelf was a white stone statuette of a lion.

“There’s no time, Keith. You must go now!”

Shiro flicked the miniature head of the lion up, unveiling the hidden button underneath. When he pressed the button, a series of low rumbling and mechanical grinding echoed from the wall. There was a click as if something had unlocked, and the bookshelf creaked open to expose the secret cramped area behind it. A long staircase led downwards into seemingly eternal blackness.    

“Go on!” Shiro exclaimed. “Hurry!”

“I can’t leave you, Shiro!” Keith snapped back, tears welling up in his eyes. He still kept his grip tight on Shiro’s hand. “Y-you’re all I have left!”

Shiro remained quiet, closing his eyes as he appeared to sink deep into thought about picking his words wisely.

“Keith, if I make it out of here, I’ll come back for you immediately.”

A hesitant pause.

Keith forgot to breathe for a split moment, and he choked out, “ _If?!_ Shiro, no! You’ll—”

Suddenly, heavy and violent banging resounded from the bedroom door, cutting off Keith’s retort. The noises sent tremors throughout the whole room as if there was an earthquake. Shiro quickly shoved Keith forward into the secret room. When Keith looked back in dumbfounded shock, he saw that Shiro’s lips had curved up into a smile, one that evoked a somber gentleness and regret, one that almost exuded, to Keith’s surprise, uncertainty.

An emotion that he had never witnessed from Takashi Shirogane in his entire life.

Despite the chaos that reverberated from the other side of that bedroom door, Keith could barely make out Shiro’s whispered words.

“I promise.”

And before Keith could make another move, Shiro heaved the bookcase shut with a weighted slam.

“Shiro! No!” Keith’s scream stung in his ears, unpleasant and damningly heartbreaking. As he pounded his fists against the back of the bookshelf, each thump echoed painfully in his ears, producing no response from the king on the other side. “Don’t go!”

Just then, Keith heard the bedroom door burst open, wood fracturing loudly. Time completely screeched to a standstill, and Keith froze entirely. Not another breath departed from his lips, and his heart refused to release a single beat. Only the dread bubbling in his stomach, threatening to erupt out of his body like a dormant volcano ready to explode, assured him that he was still very much alive and grounded in reality. The silence in the bedroom was ominous, almost ghostly, and it sent a shudder down Keith’s spine.

“If you’re looking for him, you won’t find him here.” Despite how muffled Shiro’s voice sounded on the other side, Keith could still distinguish his words, full of warning. His threat, however, only received a sinister giggle.

“Oh, no need to worry, your Majesty,” a stranger’s voice, ladylike but haunting, replied. “We’ve already found who we’re looking for.”

Keith clapped his hand over his mouth to hold back his shocked gasp as the troubling realization quickly settled in his mind.

They hadn’t come for _him_.

Instantly, the bedroom shrieked with a cacophony of erratic, discordant noises. Furniture toppling over, wood crackling, glass shattering, porcelain cracking on the floor, objects crashing against the walls or tumbling to the floor, battle cries and grunts and wicked cackles as Shiro violently struggled against the mysterious enemy. All the sounds were haphazardly fused together into an orchestra that only the lowest of scum would take delight in.

Despite the heaviness of the shelf, Keith began to push it as hard as he could, his desperation the only emotion stimulating his actions. Hoping he could budge it even the slightest bit, he pushed again and again.

Suddenly, a shout of defeat sounded from the room, followed by a groan. Keith stilled, his eyes widening. It sounded like—

“Got you, ya bloke,” another woman’s voice laughed triumphantly, more gruff and coarse than the first intruder’s.

Keith’s fingers anxiously clawed against the wood of the bookshelf.

_Shiro._

“Restrain him,” a third woman commanded, her tone more authoritative and stern yet eerily serene. “Be gentle, though.”

Keith quickly snapped out of his panic and shoved the bookcase again, harder than the previous efforts.

“Heh, the bloke sure didn’t see that coming,” the second voice spoke. A click echoed, as if someone was being cuffed.

“That certainly was much easier than I expected,” the first voice snickered. “I thought the king would have put up a better fight.”

“Enough idle chatter,” the third voice barked. “We must depart now.”     

After another forceful shove, Keith managed to budge the bookcase, forming a sliver of light between the shelf and the wall. He peered through the narrow gap, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intruders.

Nothing. Except––

Something shattered.

Keith’s eyes immediately darted towards the now-broken window. A whipping, tail-like motion caught his attention. It was difficult to completely and clearly make out who was kneeling at the edge of the window, but he thought he could piece together some distinct features. A hooded figure...with...a creature perched on their shoulder? The creature’s body was chillingly skeletal, its thin fur an odd patchwork of colors ranging from black to orange, from purple to white. It appeared to have a mechanical tail that swished back and forth like a pendulum.

Suddenly, the creature’s head turned. Right in Keith’s direction.

Terrified, Keith quickly retreated away from its line of vision, the bookshelf serving as a makeshift shield from the creature’s piercing, dagger-like eyes. He sucked in the gasp that nearly leapt out of his throat.

Even in that fleeting glance that he and the creature shared, the image of its face was clearly painted in his mind. It had the face of a cat, gaunt and devil-like, its ears pointed but uneven. Yet the most intimidating aspect of the creature’s face was its eyes. One eye was small and golden, but the other one was larger, more glaring, and an unnatural and unsettling shade of red. That eye looked almost...robotic.

Everything had fallen deathly silent.

Keith nearly forgot that he was not breathing and slowly, cautiously peeked through the gap again. The hooded figure and their cat had vanished, and he finally allowed himself to exhale.

Relief, however, did not flood him.

Frantically, Keith pushed the bookcase again with all of his strength, despite his ragged breathing and the fear that overwhelmed his entire being. Gradually, that window of light widened into a doorway he could finally pass through.

What he saw beyond the bookshelf, however, made him wish he had not opened it.

The bedroom, now soaked in unwelcoming darkness, was in complete shambles. The lamps had been knocked over and snuffed out completely. Most of the books from the shelf had fallen over, along with the lion statuette which lay split in half on the floor. Patches of the walls were cracked and dented, and various possessions and pieces of porcelain were strewn about. The bed was overturned, while the mirror at the nightstand surprisingly remained intact despite the large cracks on its surface. Shards of crystalline glass were scattered in a gleaming pile underneath the window as a cold breeze whistled its way inside, fluttering the curtains. Keith’s eyes drifted towards the table and chairs nearby, where they rested on their sides, their wood chipped and splintered. Something else was missing.

The music box.

 _Oh no_.

“Shiro?” Keith choked out, his heart pounding wildly in his chest as he stepped foot into the destruction that had unfolded just a mere moment ago.

With an unsteady gait, he rushed towards the door and into the hall.

And into a more horrifying spectacle.

Debris of broken furniture were scattered throughout the corridor. Several paintings and portraits that hung on the walls were scarred with vicious scratch marks or peeled apart, and many of the curtains that framed the windows were ripped, some to near shreds. It was as if someone had unleashed an untamed, bloodthirsty beast to attack and destroy everything in its wake.

But the most gruesome addition to the scene was the carnage.

The frighteningly motionless bodies of guards that slumped against the walls or were sprawled on the floor. Not breathing or twitching, their jaws agape, their eyes rolled back or closed entirely in a repulsive state of eternal sleep...

And the blood. Dear god, all the blood.

The blood that splattered the walls, the blood that stained the rugs and carpet, the blood that reeked from the dead flesh…

As Keith stumbled through the hallway, past the wreckage and the corpses, the stench of fresh blood slithered its way into his lungs, nearly gagging him and making him want to cough and vomit.

“Shiro, where are you?!”

Despite the tears that began to pour out of his hands, his throat felt painfully dry, as if he had breathed in smoke and ashes from a funeral pyre. He arrived at the central staircase of the entrance hall, welcomed by the sight of more slaughtered soldiers.

This was a nightmare. It _had_ to be.

“No, no, no, no, no…”

Keith’s trembling knees gave way under him, and he crumbled to the ground. He stared down at the floor, his fingers clawing into the soft carpet and his warm tears streaming down his cheeks.

“Shiro…”

This pain writhing in his chest, it felt awfully familiar…

_“Prince Takashi is still breathing…barely though.”_

_“Will he be okay?”_

_“...it would be a miracle…”_

But Keith knew this was no nightmare.

“Shiro!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm unsure of when I will update this next since I'm currently working on more urgent projects, but I will do my best to update as soon as I can! In the meantime, follow me on tumblr (@221bdisneystreet) and twitter (@mirmirthepanda) for more updates or if you just wanna hear me yell over random shit. Whatever floats your boat.


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